Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally related to a floor adapted to facilitate removal of waste materials therefrom. More particularly, the present invention is related to a floor having a floor base for receiving unwanted waste liquids and solids, a floor covering for passing the waste materials therethrough, and a built-in rinsing mechanism for facilitating removal of the waste materials from the floor base. More specifically, the present invention is related to a floor having a floor base for receiving waste liquids and solids thereon, a permeable floor covering for supporting human beings and animals and permitting passage of the waste materials therethrough, and a fluid-carrying structure for releasing cleaning fluids to rinse away and facilitate evacuation of the waste materials from the floor base.
Description of the Prior Art
Typically, conventional flooring can include a hard semi-impermeable base and a floor covering applied over the base. A padding layer can be provided between the base and the floor covering. Either way, however, waste materials (i.e., unwanted liquids and solids) received on the floor covering, depending on whether the floor covering is permeable, can pass therethrough, or remain on and possibly soak the floor covering. If the waste materials pass through the floor covering, the waste materials then can remain on the base, or, when padding is used, can potentially be trapped between the base and the floor covering by remaining on and possibly soaking the padding. Accordingly, it can be difficult to remove waste materials from conventional flooring.
When conventional flooring is used, for example, in animal enclosures, having the waste materials remain on or possibly soak the floor covering, remain on the base, or be trapped between the base and the floor covering can have deleterious consequences. Animal enclosures are enclosed indoor or outdoor structures for containing and/or sheltering animals therein. Given that the animals reside within the animal enclosures, the floors thereof receive waste materials such as spilled liquid and solid foods, liquids and solids expelled by the animals (e.g., urine and fecal matter), and other liquids or small debris. To facilitate removal of the waste materials, the floors of the animal enclosures usually permit rinsing thereof. A hose sprayer spraying water can be manipulated by a user to rinse the animal waste materials from these surfaces. However, such a rinsing operation is time consuming to the user, requires removal of the animals therefrom, and necessitates wetting the entire floor. Furthermore, if the waste materials are not removed from the floor, the waste materials may cause unhygienic conditions in the animal enclosures.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved floor. Such a floor can have permeable floor surfacing to pass unwanted liquid and solid waste materials therethrough, while having a semi-impermeable floor base to receive the waste materials thereon. Furthermore, a floor can employ a built-in rinsing mechanism for releasing cleaning fluids to rinse away and facilitate evacuation of the waste materials from the floor base.